nande

Nande (なんで) is a Japanese interrogative adverb meaning "why" or "how come." It is the casual equivalent of more formal words such as doushite (どうして) or nazé (なぜ). Used to ask for the reason behind an action, event, or situation, it is common in spoken Japanese and informal writing.

Etymology and form: なんで is written as 何で in kanji, and is read as nan de in some contexts but is commonly pronounced nande in everyday speech. The form arises from historical readings and phonetic simplification in casual conversation. In formal contexts, speakers typically use どうして or なぜ.

Usage: Nande is typically placed at the beginning of a question or inside it. Examples include "なんで学校を休んだの？" (Why did you skip school?) and "なんでそんなことを言うの？" (Why would you say such a thing?). It can take plain, past, or negative forms: "なんで行かなかったの？" "Why didn't you go?" Exclamations such as "なんでだ！" express surprise or frustration. Answers often state a reason with だから or なので, or explain the cause.

Register and nuance: Nande is informal and best suited to conversations with friends, family, or peers. In formal writing or speech, alternatives like どうして or なぜ are preferred to maintain a appropriate tone.

See also: Japanese language; どうして; なぜ; 何; 質問.